need HELP on mp3 install!

I'm feeling really stupid about now. I bought the Becker RCA jack kit so that I could use my IPOD instead of the CD Changer, through the AUX input. I'm following all the directions. Physical connection made. Now I go to turn on the "AUX" input on the head unit and I find it is already "ON". Huh? Flip back the Source button a few times and it says "CD Loading" and no sound from the IPOD. I try the set up cycle like 10 times, with the AUX setup toggled to "ON" sometimes and "OFF" other times. Still the head unit is still trying to load the CD Changer. No sound from the IPOD, though the radio plays through the speakers fine. What's going wrong? Do I have to disconnect the CD Changer on the trunk side as well (to keep the head unit from looking for the CD Changer which it won't find)? This is very frustrating. Thought it was a 5 min DIY, and already I'm up to 20 and my kids are badgering me to cook dinner. HELP!!! (Not really that panic'ed, but definitely would like to resolve this quickly.) Also, the Becker keys feel a little stuck in the radio chassis. Is there a trick to pulling them out? Thanks in Advance, -jerry

Ok, now I've figured out that you have to physically disconnect the CD changer in the trunk to make it work. That's done now. Why wasn't it in the instructions? Trial power up and it works, though fidelity isn't even up to usual Porsche (sub-)standard. While I'm at it, I check the pressure in the spare. A solid 30 lbs (should be 60). Well at least I'm finding out in the garage, not by the side of the road. Now back to my audio project. As I said, the audio coming out of the iPod is not exactly what I'd call high fidelity. Sounds like a loose connection. I'm done mentally now so I'm just going to put things back together and deal with it tomorrow. But wait. How do I get the keys out of the locks? Close examination (another 10 mins) and I realize that if I push the side just right the key will release. Why isn't that in the instructions? Ok, now let's just get the unit in the dash and call it (finally) quits, at least until tomorrow. Can't get unit back in last few inches. Have my arm, up to my elbow in the hole trying to push the wire harness out of the way. In. Out. In. Out. Another twenty times. More Ughhhhhh! What the...why is the red wire dangling? Seems that the cheap plastic Becker connector has disconnected itself from the blue thingy. Probably the source of "Poor Fidelity". I guess I'm going to call Becker tomorrow and see if they can replace it for me, or whether they're going to stick me for another $25 for their 2-bit connector. Even more Ughhhhh! Ok, now I remove the new Becker cable and I'm just going to get the dash looking right. Forget hooking the CD back up...I don't want to deal with it. More close examination. See the left side appears a little deeper, to hold the wire harness). Here we go. A good shove, and it's in. I'm done for now. Hope someone finds humor in this sad comedy. As soon as I get a new Becker connector, hopefully one that isn't so flimsy, I should be able to do the whole operation in 5 mins. Who said "Experience is what you get, right after you needed it?"

redcab, I did my install a few months ago (actually the morning after 'the blackout'). Its all about trial and error. The keys, yes, there are little clips on the side, and you must remove the keys BEFORE you put the unit back in, since you can't remove with the radio installed. As far as the connector from becker, they have the wires, and the 'plug' separate, and you are supposed to put the wires in the plug yourself, why they don't do it, anyone's guess. I had no problem with the plug part and the sound from the Ipod is as good as the radio. But, you also need the Y connector that goes from RCA to headphone jack, so that you can plug in the Ipod. Don't forget to run the ipod cable out to whereever, before you slide the radio back in. And yes, getting radio back in was a bitch, i had to fiddle with the harness as well... I can't even imagine what a joy relocating the radio or heater must be if its such a PITA to just take the radio out and put it back in....

The audio level when playing the IPOD was lower than when I played the CD. Is this normal? I was taking the audio out of the headphone jack, with the level set about 95% (higher seemed to be distorted). I could play the Becker at +40 (max) and it was loud but not unbearable (except for the distortion of course). On the CD, I can never get past +30 without hurting. Is this within expectations, or am I looking at switching amps?

I has problems as well, with the wireing harness and getting the radio back in. After finally getting the radio back in and thinking everything was done, the next morning the car wouldn't start. Turned out that I pinched a wire in the wireing harness and blew a fuse that caused the security system to lock out the ignition. This wasn't as simple as it's made out to be, but the end result was worth it. I hook up my Dell Axim and play WMA's and have found that I need to have the volume at 90% (more distorts) and I still need to set the radio volume louder than with the radio or CD. Also consider the typical lower fidelity of your digital music file format (mine are heavily compressed WMA's yours may not be) and try adjusting your radio's base and treble. Joe

red... there is problem with the connection...I have my Ipod at about 95% as well, its as loud as the radio...I have the std cd player with the hi-fi option...but that's it...no add'l amps...

Update, with a happy ending... The becker wiring accessory turned out to be defective. They exchanged it without any hassle - just add a week for the mail to be delivered. This time around (& knowing what I was doing) it took less than 30 mins. The electrical & physical connection is solid, evidenced by volume setting for the AUX input consistent with the radio. I spent 10 very frustrating minutes wiggling the head unit every which way trying to re-install. I thought (incorrectly) to tip the backside down so that the radio chassis would go under the retaining clips. Turns out I was wrong... when I finally tipped the backend up, I was able to avoid a small lip inside the hole that was causing the blockage. Smaller hands and longer forearms would also have been helpful for keeping the wire harness from kinking upon re-install. Now I'm fully installed and very happy. Just wondering whether leaving the iPod in plain sight (when I park) is inviting a break-in.

Its small enough...just stick it in the center console, or worse case, take it with ya...